AMA Drone Report 12.14.17

Airborne-YouTube

AMA Drone Report 12.14.17

Fore!

Steve Fossett and Mark Rebholz successfully flew the Vickers
Vimy for just over 18 hours across the Atlantic to land on an Irish
golf course. The flight departed from Newfoundland at 1919 hrs
Saturday and arrived in Ireland at 1704 hrs Sunday.

"This was an endurance test," Fossett said to the AP. "This
airplane is very primitive. You have to keep your hands on the
controls at all times. If you let go, the plane will go out of
control."

The flight was planned to commemorate the first crossing of the
Atlantic, the June 1919 flight of John Alcock and Arthur
Whitten-Brown. They crossed the Atlantic in 16 hours and 20
minutes. Fossett and Rebholz took a little longer, 18 hours and 15
minutes. They touched down in Clifden on the eighth fairway with
about 2000 spectators watching.

They used a compass and sextant to navigate, as in the original
flight, although they did have a radio.

"On the way over we were in contact with all the commercial
airlines flying overhead," Rebholz said to the AP. "That is a
comforting feeling, talking to other people while you're
flying."